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I have a hard time to believe that anyone knows what happens when we die.

JuliaJulia
edited April 2011 in General Banter
I have a hard time to believe in that we can or shall get out of the endless cycle of rebirth. I also have a hard time to believe that buddhism knows about what happens exactly after we die.
I believe there is a continuation, but I don´t think anybody can know about this. So my approach to buddhism is more practical here an now in this life. I guess some people would say that I am not a buddhist, and it is okej. But I find the buddhist approach to life and its methods useful.

Comments

  • Mr_SerenityMr_Serenity Veteran
    It's good to be practical. Listen to your gut and your brain. Death is guaranteed to all of us, but after death nothing is guaranteed. So I hold no attachment to any idealistic afterlife. I believe there could be an afterlife, but it's not for sure and most likely it won't be as good as things are now.

    One thing I can say though is that spirits are real. And I'm not really sure if they're dead people. I just know for fact that they exist. No one has to take my word for it, I just know because of my first hand encounters.
  • DaltheJigsawDaltheJigsaw Mountain View Veteran
    Great thread!
  • JuliaJulia
    I also believe that spirits are real because my own experience. But I can't explain them further.

    I do believe in a continuation but I know it is a belief, because I can't know for sure. But that doesn't mean that I believe automatically buddhism are right about their exact description what happens. I try to be more open and not grasp at any specific explanation about this. For me it makes more sense.
  • hermitwinhermitwin Veteran
    Who doesnt?
  • JuliaJulia
    Some buddhists, that I have encounter in tibetan buddhism, treat buddhism as a religion to believe in. I don't say they are wrong, it's just not my cup of tea.

    :coffee:
  • Malachy12Malachy12
    Good idea. After all, our understanding is limited to this whole "being alive" thing. lol. I wouldn't take others opinions too seriously.
  • SabreSabre Veteran
    edited April 2011
    The Tibetan Book of the Death I believe describes the whole process in a way they believe. Maybe it is true, maybe it is not. Who cares about the actual process? We'll find it out sooner or later anyway. ;)

    Always believe your own experience most of all.
  • JuliaJulia
    Good idea. After all, our understanding is limited to this whole "being alive" thing. lol. I wouldn't take others opinions too seriously.
    I agree with you... :rolleyes:
  • JuliaJulia
    The Tibetan Book of the Death I believe describes the whole process in a way they believe. Maybe it is true, maybe it is not. Who cares about the actual process? We'll find it out sooner or later anyway. ;)

    Always believe your own experience most of all.
    That is my cup of tea!!! :clap:
  • DhammaDhatuDhammaDhatu Veteran
    edited April 2011
    I believe there is a continuation, but I don´t think anybody can know about this....I guess some people would say that I am not a buddhist
    For someone with so many firm opinions, you seem to be sitting on the fence here. if you are not a Buddhist by sitting on the fence, then what does that make me...an anti-Buddhist?

    :(
  • JuliaJulia
    I believe there is a continuation, but I don´t think anybody can know about this....I guess some people would say that I am not a buddhist
    For someone with so many firm opinions, you seem to be sitting on the fence here. if you are not a Buddhist by sitting on the fence, then what does that make me...an anti-Buddhist?

    :(
    Sorry, I don't understand what you mean here.

  • genkakugenkaku Northampton, Mass. U.S.A. Veteran
    I also have a hard time to believe that buddhism knows about what happens exactly after we die.
    ----------------------------

    Good. If something is unwilling to cough up a satisfactory answer -- if it is imponderable -- then you can stop wasting time pondering it and get on with your Buddhist practice.

    A student once asked a Zen teacher, "What happens after we die?" And the teacher replied, "I don't know. I'm not dead yet." If you knew the answer, what good would it do? If you don't know the answer, what harm does it do?

    What's more important -- knowing what happens after we die or buying the groceries?
  • EpicurusEpicurus
    edited April 2011
    If I knew I'd be reborn, you can bet I wouldn't try to achieve nirvana until my next life!

    I'd throw one big samsara party in THIS life first. But since this is probably my one life, I'm gonna be a pious little kid.
  • vinlynvinlyn Colorado...for now Veteran
    I have a hard time to believe in that we can or shall get out of the endless cycle of rebirth. I also have a hard time to believe that buddhism knows about what happens exactly after we die.
    I believe there is a continuation, but I don´t think anybody can know about this. So my approach to buddhism is more practical here an now in this life. I guess some people would say that I am not a buddhist, and it is okej. But I find the buddhist approach to life and its methods useful.
    I agree Julia.
  • fivebellsfivebells Veteran
    If I knew I'd be reborn, you can bet I wouldn't try to achieve nirvana until my next life!
    Heh, very insightful. :)
  • compassionate_warriorcompassionate_warrior Veteran
    The Tibetan Book of the Death I believe describes the whole process in a way they believe. Maybe it is true, maybe it is not. Who cares about the actual process? We'll find it out sooner or later anyway. ;)

    Always believe your own experience most of all.
    I've often wondered how they came by these "beliefs". I can only guess, meditative insight. This raises the question: are the insights achieved by meditation to be trusted (if not, why bother meditating?), or are they "mere thought formations"?

  • JuliaJulia
    edited April 2011
    Good point!

    But I don´t meditate to realize past lives or to see beyond my life. I meditate to calm my mind, getting insights about how my mind works and end suffering.
    :rolleyes:
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